Masks from Indonesia in the Náprstek Museum

Abstract

Abstract Masks from Indonesia have been worn in performances in a number of contexts. In Java, masked drama occurred in the royal courts as well as in the countryside. In Bali masks are still a feature of daily life in connection with performances in temples and at life cycle ceremonies. Balinese masks relate to a range of genres. In Kalimantan masks are mostly used in rituals connected with rice-growing. Indonesian masks in the Náprstek Museum collections all come from one of these contexts, most having been used and later discarded, while some were made especially for the tourist market.